Winning studies are selected through a three-step process. The Clinical Research Forum’s Board of Directors serves as the selection committee. Using the selection criteria outlined below, the committee members review all nominated studies to first identify the top 20; the list is then narrowed to the top 10 and a final review identifies the top 3 winners.
Selection Criteria:
- Degree of innovation and creativity involved and its advancement of the science in a specific area
- Contribution to the understanding of human disease and/or human physiology
- Potential impact upon the diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment or increased understanding of the disease state
Special Consideration:
While we are open to all studies, we encourage nominations of studies led by young investigators in their first PI role for the Young Investigator Breakthrough Award. This award may be selected if within the Top 10 there is a young investigator who has advanced a novel or innovative clinical or translation discovery that is a breakthrough in medicine and/or Science.
Award Recognition
- Top 10 Awards (Annually):
- Individual investigator (solo work) or a representative from the team (group project) must attend the Clinical Research Forum annual meeting in Washington, D.C. to:
- Receive the award in person at the annual awards reception
- Provide a one-minute video interview for use in social media
- Present/share research findings in a panel session and with a poster during Translational Science, if Translational Science is being held in Washington, D.C. that year.
- Featured in the Journal of Clinical Translational Science
- Top 3 Winners (Annually):
- Herbert Pardes, MD Clinical Research Excellence Award ($7,500)
- Distinguished Clinical Research Achievement Award (2 selected; $5,000)
- Young Investigator Breakthrough Award (When Appropriate):
Winners were notified in mid-January 2026. The Clinical Research Forum will provide a travel stipend and hotel accommodations for a single team representative to attend the annual meeting. Other team members are welcome to attend the award presentation and meeting at their own expense. They will also be eligible to register for meetings at member rates.
The 2026 submission portal is now closed.
Questions?
Contact the Clinical Research Forum: